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Last season, the Phoenix Suns invested approximately $259.5 million in player salaries and luxury taxes (ranking third highest in the league). Despite their significant spending, the Suns finished sixth in the Western Conference and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Minnesota. This upcoming season, Phoenix's expenses are projected to increase to a staggering $447 million.

That has led some people outside Phoenix to wonder just how deep into his pockets owner Mat Ishbia is willing to reach, and would the lack of flexibility in roster building because of the second apron have Kevin Durant starting to get restless? Of course, that led to internet Durant trade speculation, all backed by nothing (Durant has two seasons left on his current contract). Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein

tried to shoot down the Durant trade talk during an interview with PHNX Sports.

"I think the most important part is you can't just have conversations when there's issues or things come up, right? Because then it's not true and authentic. It goes to our care factor. So I talk to KD all the time about how his life is, about the Olympics...

"He loves it here. We talk to Rich Kleiman, who's his [business] partner all the time about the vision and what we're building, and everyone's really happy, and I think we're gonna have a really , really good year. And Kevin's part of all the discussions about the vision for the team, all the stuff we're doing on the court, off the court. So the fact that we have all that dialogue, there's equity built into it. If you do those things, everything else will take care of itself.”

The only way the Suns would trade Durant is if he demands it. There are currently no signs of that.

While the Suns made a few offseason moves — picking up Tyus Jones at the minimum was a steal — their biggest offseason bet was on new coach Mike Budenholzer getting more out of a top-heavy Suns roster. Bartelstein has faith that's
going to happen.

"He is awesome. I mean, he's the real deal. We've become very, very close over the three months. It's crazy it's been that fast. He's so detail-oriented. He thinks Phoenix Suns all day, every day, from the biggest things of where is Kevin gonna get the ball to the smallest things of how do we maximize our two-way guys' days? Like, he's just always thinking Suns basketball, and he's a basketball savant. The way he uses players, the success he's had, the wins, you're talking about one of the best coaches in the NBA."

The Suns begin the 2024-25 season in Los Angeles — they are the Clippers' first opponents in the new Intuit Dome, then stick around in town to reunite Paris Olympians Durant, Devin Booker, LeBron James and Anthony Davis in an entertaining opening week contest.